Vertical distillation retort



July 2s, l1931.

J. PlETs-:Rs

VERTICAL DISTILLATION RETORT Filed March 20. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 fw.,0 .f J I 5 0W .I 3 5 +0 f fr. mf/ z ...z if mdwj z/mm n0 NNQ\ Fw S W @SI E n ,y n@ M/ Z l e ,ma a au a 1a d V, #E E T \\\\\\\\\w\ el rr-T\\f\\WJ db\ J\M/J- nn 3, Mn u Z l e Mn H. z ifa/, 3T RT l.\\wN|\\\ Cm-l l l -I ha. da ..16 :hv y .dd ww .1J c f. x

July 28, 1931. J. PITERs VERTICAL DISTILLATION RETORT Filed March 2o.1928 2 sheets-sheet 2 D y C o m@ M a Nn ZH 1.a al.. ,94.* fm .w\ 1 c n i.Y 77H C 7@ ./v c d o h, 4. v a a r., a Q a Z f s. f z ma n f C 7@ u 4 Illll 4..

Patented July 193i uNi'rED Aslxa'ras PATENT OFFICE JULIEN PIETERS, OFPARIS, FRANCE VERTICAL msrnimrlon marcar application mea umbro, 192s,serial no. 263,168, and in France umn 3o, 1927.

The present invention relates to vertical continuous distillationretortsfor the distil' lation of all combustible materials, such as coal,lignite, peat,` bituminous shales and the like ofthe t e in which thelongitudinal wal s of the istillation chamber are constituted by hollowbricks or tubular elements made of refractory material, of prismaticshape, which, by their superposition and fitting together, formcontinuous vertical flues for the passage of the gases serving for theheating of said distillation chamber. According to my resent invention,there is provided, along t e major axis of the oblong cavity 01E` eachof the said tubular elements, in the heating zone proper of thedistillation chamber, a separate brick extendin for a small part of theheight of the tubu ar ele'- ment, and forming a partition parallel tothe longitudinal walls of the said oblong cavity, incombination withmeans for supporting said brick.

This partition thus reduces the passageway for the ames and combinationgases, causing a thorough mingling of the' latter and ensures a betterheat transmission to the ll)ongitudinal walls of the distillation cham-The use of a'separate brick of this kind allows the accurate regulationof the passageway of the gases, in order thus to graduate the resistanceto their ilow and the imact of the gases vu on each point of the eatingof the distil ation chamber.

The accompanying drawings represent by way of example a form of carryingout the object of the invention.

Figure 1- is aV view in vertical section, partly in external view alongthe broken line 1-1 of Figure 2, the right hand half corresponding to avertical axial section throu h a distillation chamber, and the left handalf corresponding to a vertical axial section through a heating pier.

Figures 2 and- 3 are views in transverse horizontal section 'along theline 2--2Y and the line`3-3 of Figure 1, respectively, 'on

A a larger scale.

Figure t is a view in vertical section, at right angles with relation tothat ofv Figure axial section of elements of different types'l utilizedin the construction of the distillation chamber.

As represented in Figures 1 and 2, the distillation chambers a aredelimited, upon their long sides, by refractory members or elements b ofrelatively small dimensions; these elements b of rectangular section(Figures 5 and 6 and Figures 7 and 8) com rise a central tubular cavityor hollow b1 o oblong shape; there exist two tvpes of these elements Z),one (Figures 5 and lateral rib b2 and the other (Figures 7 and 8) havinglateral grooves bs in such a way as to allow the lfitting together ofthel juxtaposed elements in the direction of the length of thedistillation chambers (Figure 4:). In order to permit the littingtogether of the superposed elements, each ofthem comprises at one end(upper or lower) a countersunk part or annular recess b* and at itsother end a corresponding projecting partlor annular flange b5, in thewall around the tubular hollow b1 in the centre.

The tubular cavities b1 of the superposed refractory elements form bytheir assembly conduits or lines serving for the passage of the fiamesand combustion gases for the heating of the distillation chambers aalong thelr longer sides. In the example illustrated, there arerepresented three elements b along each of the long sides of adistillation chamber (Figures 1 and 2), but it will be understood thatthis number may vary according to the length of the chamber and thedimensions given to the elements b utilized for the construction oftheheating piers.

Since continuous distillation retorts re- 6) having a iliire atemperature decreasing rapidly from. I t

e bottom upwards, each of the elements b of the heating piers (Figures 9and 10) comprises, internally, on both sides of the major `axis of itstubular cavity b1, vertical axial to the'longitudinal walls of thedistillation chamber, in the central cavity b1 of each element b. 'llhellames and combustion' gases are thus caused to-strike against thesebricks b, which leave only a small vfree space between them andthe wallsof the elements b; there is thus produced anb energetic stirring up ofthe gaseous molecules, which activates the combustion to a large extent;moreover there resultsa very intimate Contact of the hot gases with thewalls to be heated, which increases considerably the coeilicient oftransmission of the heat, The latter is thus given up very actively tothe lwalls and the temperature decreases very rapidly in the inversedirection to the downward movement of the material in the distillationchamber a, thus realizing the most favourable conditions for aneconomical heating and the best output of by-products.

The heating gas isadmitted vat the lower part of the iiues formed by thesuperposition of the tubular hollows b1 of the elements b. The elementsb, at thebase of the distillation chamber, each comprise in theirtubular hollow a brick c (Figures 11 and l2), extending over the vwholeheightof the element;

this brick c is formed lwith an axial hole .c1

which is intended 'for the passage of the heating `gas While airnecessary for the combustion of this gas passes through the lateralchannels c2 formed upon both sides of this brick c, in the tubularhollow or cavity b1 of TheV elements at the base of the distillationchamber thus constitute, by their superposition, channelsc1 and c? forthe passage of the gas and air for combustion, respectively (see theleft hand half of lFigure l); air is-admitted freely at the base of thechannels c2, while the heating gas is admitted through branch pipes Z1provided with cocks and leading from the gassupply ,main d. The

two fluids (gas and air), intended for combustion, admittedi andcirculating separately in the vertical channels c1 and c at the base ofthe distillation chamber piers, become heated during their passagethrough 'these piers and thus recuperate part of the heat conthe samemethod of ,circulation and are ttedf inthe same manner into therefractory elements b situated below them (Figure 4). These upper castiron members e are connect- `ed by collectors e1, above which thereis`arranged the smoke flue fior the escape of the' Y burnt gases towardsthe chimney 7'1.

The'distillation gases from the material escape from the distillationchambers a through numerous openings a1 arranged in any suitable mannerover the entire heating height of the retort, in theaxial plane of eachofthe chambers ain the small unheated sides of these chambers; theseopenings a1 'upper part of this Vertical collector g and allowing ofisolating each distillation .chamber.

In order to ensure a total recuperation 'of the heat contained in theresidue such as coke,

semi-coke or distilled shale of distillation of the material used, atthe base of the distilla-A Producer gas or steam intended to-be blowninto the chambers a is admitted externally` of the distillation chamberinto vertical channels constituted by metal trunks It arranged in thetransverse direction of the distillation chambers a,between the latter,in the brickwork at the base of' the retort. The gas or steam thenenters into the distillation chambers a through openings h1 h2 formed atthe top of these trunks, at diiierent heights, and openingout into thechambers a at the small sides of the latter. When steam is utilized forthis recovery of heat, this steam may be made bymeans of water occupyingthe base of the vertical channels L.

Each of the distillation chambers a might comprise two distinct verticalchannels h for this blowing in of gas or steam, but it is preferable,when severaldistillation chambers are connected in a battery, asillustrated, to unite the di'ierent vertical channels, corresponding toa small face of the different chambers, into a single channel extendingtransversely over the hole length of the battery (Figures 3 an When thedistillation chambers are arranged in series-parallel, there may beprovided a single series of vertical channels arranged in the wallseparatingthe two series of parallel chambers, between the small sidesof those chambers.

By the direct contact of the iuid (gasor steam), blown in at the base ofthe distillation chamber, there is effected, in combination with theexternal recuperation by the lignite,`the blowing in o heating iiuids,.asuiliciently complete coolingv In order to obviate these disadvanta ofthe residue before its exit from the distilla- `tion chamber. Therecuperation of heat effected by thisarrangement is extremel energeticand rapid and the economy rea ized is carried to a maximum. In the caseof a pulverulent residue for example with f gas, or steam into theAdistillation chambers is effected at a suflicient height above theretaining register at the base of the distillation chamber to revent anexternal leakage of iluid at the ottom, even during the opening of theregister. As the material is heated more rapidly along the walls of thedistillation chamber than in the'centre of the latter, there is utilizedpreferably, at the base of each distillation chamber, an oscillatingretaining register; the latter is constituted by a member z' inthe shapeof a circular arc at vits upper end, blocking the lower end of. thedistillation chamber, and mounted upon a horizontal spindle 1 y so as tobe able to oscillate; during this movement of oscillation, in onedirection or the other, se arating the register 'from one of the walls othe distillation chamber, the residue' of distillation in the'regionadjacent to this wall descends morerapidly than the vmaterial in thecentral zone of the chamber;

during fthe movement of oscillation of the l register 1I in the otherdirection,it is the mate- Cranks tlieoperation of these registers z.lThe supply of continuous distillation rer1al in the zone adjacent tothe other wallof the chamber which descends inthe first place. 2 keyedupon the spindles 1 permit' torts with pulverulent materials formed fromthe pulverulent constituents contained in the coal, lignite, or othercombustible material to be subjected to distillation, for example, coaldust, presents certain diiculties for maintaining the distillationchamber constantly filled up to its upper part without presenting voidsat the supply point. These latter would in e'ect be harmful to asatisfactory yield of by-products such as tar oils, owing to thedecomposition of the latter during their more or less prolonged sojournin these voids.

Now the arrangement, above the distillation chamber, of a single hopperof fairly great height and of suflicient capacityl for ensuring acontinuous supply, without an register, presents several disadvantages:(il, in the case of slightly moist pulverulent materials, arches arefrequently formed at the base of the hopper which produce blockages andtherefore an irre ular supply; (2) in the case of a stoppage o theelevating apparatus delivering materials into the hop# per, the level ofthese materials may fall too low and no longer suitably obstruct theupper part of the 'distillation chamber, in such a way as to prevent anyexit of gas or any entrance of air.

pulverulent materia s, arranged above this register, there is obtainedan absolutely. perfect obturation, even if the hopper is only partiallyfilled.

During the normal working of the distillation supply apparatus, when thehopper is suitably filled with pulverulent materials, the register canremain in the vertical open position (Figure l) and it will suiiice toshake it at suliciently close intervals in order to prevent any blockageat this point. In case of stoppage of the supply apparatus, the registerZ is placed in the horizontal positon, this register thus preventing thematerial from descending and constituting, in combination withthemateria] contained in the hopper, a *plrfect obturation during thewhole duration of the stoppage of the supply apparatus. "In order toavoid any movement of the register outside the few short instants of itsoperation, it is held fast in its normal open position by engaging itsoperating lever Z2`by any suitable latchin device. y

at I claim is: p 1. In a vertical continuous distillation apparatus, adistillation chamber, the longi tudinal walls of which are constitutedby tubular elements of refractory material and of prismatic shape, andeach of said elements having a single oblong cavity, said elements beingsuperimposed and fitted together in such a manner that the continuousvertical gas tight flues formed by the cav1- ties of the superimposedelements are completely separate each from another and have nocommunication with the distillation chamber, said vertical flues beinadapted to the passa e ofthe gases servin or the heating of t edistillation cham r, the provision, along the major axis of the oblongcavity of each of said tubular elements, 1n the heating zone proper ofthe apparatus, of a se arate brick extending for a small part of t eheight of the tubular element, and forming a partition parallel to thelongitudinal walls of the said oblong cavity, an olftake for thedistilled volatile products and ofmeans for carrying said separatebrick, for the purpose described.

2. In a vertical continuous distillation furnace, (as claimed in claiml) the revision, at the ends of the major axis of t e oblong cavity ofeach of said tubular elements in the heating zone proper of the furnace,of internal vertical axial notches, in combinages,

tion with a separate brick, adapted to be engaged at its ends in thesaid axial notches of said element, said brick extending for a smallpart of the height of the tubular element and forming a partitionparallel to the longitudinal Walls ofthe said oblong cavity, for thepurpose described.

3. In a vertical continuous distillation apparatus (as claimed in claiml), they provison of means for the admission'of the gas and of the airintended for combustion into the heating piers at the base of theyapparatus, and of separate vertical channels formed inthe tubularcavities of the' Superposed tubular elements for the circulation of saidgas and of said air of combustion up to a certainv height at the lowerend of the apparatus piers, forv the purpose described. In testimonywhereof I have signed my name to this specification.

JULIEN PIETERS.

